A description of the confirmed state of a Christian / by the late Reverend Mr. Robert Fleming

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A

DESCRIPTION

OF THE

Confirmed State*

O F A ■

CHRISTIAN.

By the late Reverend Mr. Roeekt
Fleming, Author of the Fulfilling
of the Scriptures* <

G L A S G O IV,

Printed by Robert F-o u l i s, and fold by him-,
and other Bookfellers in V/a/go-zv and Edinburgh,

MD.CGXLIH.

( iii )

TO THE

RE A D E R.

IT" is like thou may eft think /irange,
how thefe few Sheets in the Clofe
fall in here, after the foregoing ^Parf
was finijhed; but tho they meet in one,
Defign and Inter eft, yet^was not this
then intended until the former was done,
and if it might tend to a /olid Ufe and
Fruit unto any, I Jhall forbear a fur~
ther Apology herein.

I may truly fay, the Weight of the
Suhjetl hath carried it fome further
Length than was defgned, wheirlfo
much fought to be fort, as I aim at hi

A 2 any

isr To the READER.

. any Thing of this Kind, that through
my 13 e fire to avoid any unneceffary mul-

• tiph/mg of Words, I fear left it may
make fome Things feeni a little dark at
the.firji View: Thd 1 hope, not upon
any ferious ^Perufal of the fame. Two
Things Imujl further crave Leave to
add,

I. That when fome fnccintl View of
the great Affiftances, and Confirmati-
ons of our Faith is here offered, which
thefe of the low eft Capacity of the
Churchy might with that Advantage
'improve*, as in a few Flours, by read-
ing it fometimes over, may he fo far
hnpreffed on their Mind and Judgment,
that they conic] give fome clear and ju-
dicious Account thereof; it may he by

fuchj, but ferioufly weighed, and taken
to Heart of what concern the Ufe here-
of is.

a mo

i> That 1 humbly judge alfo, it were
noft fpecial Service for the Truth in
this Day, to havefomefort Directory,*? /?i
Remembrancer of the great Atls of the

Lord.

To the. READER. v

Lord, and Monuments of his *Provh
dence now under the New Teftament,
in that Manner held forth, as might
mo ft tend to fome univerfal Ufe of all
within the Church. I corfefs, my De ■■
fire pre fed me to fome fmall E[fdy
herein, with Intent to have joined it to
this Work, but having with -much Con-
vitiion laid this wholly afide, as to any
further jlppearanc^e that Way, fo is it
with an earneft Deftre, that fome more
qualified, ?night take to Heart,
. and under ■ their Hand, fo great-
a Service, both for their Generation and
Tofterity. It is fire, the Lord hath
defigned his Teople to be taught the
Greafnefs of his Works, as. well as the
Trecepts of his Word, and as no Duty
is' more preffed than this under the Old
Teftament, both as to Tublick and Fa-
mily Inftrutlion, fo art we no lefs ac-
countable in thefe I aft Times, for this
Improvement, of fitch as are of knozvn%
public, and itncontroulable Evidence, and,
fh.ould he the Care of each j4ge to have
A3 that

vi To the READER.

that folemri Remembrance kept up here-
of, fo as not a few, but the very Mul-
titude within the Church, might he as a
public Library, and Repofitory of the
fame.

A DE*

c o •

DESCRIPTION

OF THE

Confirmed State

OF A

CHRISTIAN.

H O' tire Meafure of all ChrifK-
ans Eftablifhment in the Truth
be not alike, but inuft have
RefpeS to their different Trials,
Talents, and Improvements for this End. 5
yet may it caufe Aftonifhment to feer
how rare any Study of this Kind Is now

to

2 d. Defer if t ion of the confirmed

to be found, When 'tis not only one of
the higheft Concerns ofChriftianity, but
in a more than ordinary Way called for,
as the Work of this Day $ yea, being this
is a Part of Religion, which feems leaft
improved of any, for the more generaF
State of Profeffors within the Church ,
under fome Conviction hereof, was this
Eflay defigned ^ wherein, with humble
Confidence, I may fay, the Truth hath
been fought with that f erious Enquiry in .
to the Nature of thefe Things held forth,
as I judged needful for fuch, who have
fo great an Intereft, and adventure not
only through Time, but for all Eternity,
to Fupport themfelves upon the alone
Certainty hereof • and ere thefe Days of
Trial, which we now fee, pafs over this
Generation, it may be found, this was
not unfeafonable, or without Caufe dire-
cted to fuch a Time, if the Lord graciouf-
ly.blefs the fame- nor will it, I hope, be
found ''unneceffery -to prefent.yet further,
fome clear Frofped of a Confirmed State
Mi Religion, and what thofe ought to be,
who, with Light, and Affurance of Mind,
are like to follow the Lord fully in fuch
a Day ^ which is here offered in a feven-
fold Charade r, under which a truly c -on-
firmed

State of a Christian. 3

firmed Chriflian in the Vruth of his Pt'Oi
fejjion may he fated.

Cha r a c te r I.

He is one, ivho hath another Senfe, and
ImpreJJion of this great Study for attaining
to a confirmed State in Religion, and is
on higher Grounds prejjed to folioiv the
fame, than moft of the yifihle Church do
apprehend) and fhould be thus confidered.

i. As one to whom the Glory of the
Chriftian Profejfion is in the higheft De-
gree dear, and who would have the World
fee, that fuch as embrace the lame, and
do moft fully adventure on the Teftimo-
ny of God in his Word, are thofe^ who
walk on the higheft Principles of true and
enlightned Reafon *, yea, who take deep-
ly to Heart, that Obligation which is on
all, who defire to advance the Repute,
and Honour of the Truth, to be in fuch
Terms therewith upon its own Evidence,
that they may know how to confute and
fhame Atheifts, and Infidels, if called
thereunto.

-2. Who fee alfo, that fuch is the State

of fallen Man, as ftands in need of all

A 3 the

4 A Defcription of tie confirmed

the Contributions that can be, not-only
to ftrengthen the Chriftian's Faith, to bear
out againft the ftrong Affaults of Infide-
lity, but to gain alfo more Credit and
Veneration to the Truth, with thofe who
are not eafily dealt with, but by fuch
Means as bear fome Congruity to their;
natural Light and Reafon ^ for which-
End the Lord hath afforded his minifte-
rial Helps, to render the Unbelief of the
World, and all Pretence of Hefitation a-
bout his Truths more inexcufable.

-3. He alio fees, that the mo ft impor-
tant and fundamental Truths of Chriftia-
nity, need the greateft Confirmation in
bis Faith ^ and thofe, who enter into fo
high and diferiminating a Profeflion from
the Refidue of the World, need to know
in what Manner they embrace the fame.
He fees, that the natural Order of Things
does absolutely require to have the Foun-
dation fure laid, on which fo great a Su-
perftru&ure mull reft, fo as he judgeth
It a Work by itfelf, and to need fome pe-
culiar retiring his Soul irr the moft feri*
ous Recefs, and. Compofure thereof, to
attain a Stedfaftnefs in the Truth, and to
know the ftrong and firm Conveyances of
that greateft Myftery of the Gofpel, in

fuch

State of a C h r i s t i a n J 5

•fuch a Manner, as needs not a new Mi-
racle to confirm the fame. But he knows,
that no Sharpnefs of Mens natural Under-
■{landing about the Truth, can ever attain
a true Reft, and Settlement of Mind
therein, without an humble and ferious
Spirit, {looping down before the Wifdom
of God, and entring as a little Child into
his School -, and by that humble Pra&ice
and Obedience of the Gofpel, there is an
undoubted coming up to the greateft Af-
furance and cleared .. Demonitrations of
the fame, as John vii. 17.

4. He knows, that as nothing tends
more to (hake Mens Spirits, and ftagger
them about the Truth, than a light and
tranflent View hereof, fo does the great-
eft Eftablifhment follow, on the neareft
approach by a deep and ferious Enquiry
about the fame .5 and he clearly fees, that
if fuch, who look but at a Diftance on the
Way of Religion, did but once come to
have their Spirits exceed in a more ferious
Reflection thereon, the firft View they
fhould have, could not but be Matter of
Wonder and Amazement $ to think what
can fupport a Soul, in fo marvellous a
Way, as the Life and Practice of Cfrri-
Hianity, which is fo vifible above Na-
ture,

6 A Description of the confirmed

ture, and that wherein they muft do Vio-
lence to the fame *, wh^reia they muft
part with the Multitude, and oppofe
themfelves to the ftrongeft Tide of Ex-
ample, and muft endure alio in Hope,
^nd believe for Things not feen, (which
were never the Object of human Senfe,)
to any in this Ear,th $ and are oft called to
part with the moil defireable Things of
Senfe, upon the alone Credit of their
Faith , yea, wherein they muft enter
that Profeffion, on no other Terms, than
to be Martjrrs for the fame, and feal it
with their Blood $ fo that he muft needs
fee a Chriftian, according to the Rule
and Inftitution of the Gofpel, to be the
greateft Riddle and Wonder of any Sight
within Time ^ but when fnch come more
clefe and near upon this Trial, and have-
once under ftood the Nature and Greatnefs
of that Security, which thefe have to ad-
venture, on, and what is the Glory of their
Hope, and the fure Spring of their Sup*
plies, for their Work and Trials within
Time *, then will this fecond Wonderun-
fpeakably exceed 'the firft •, how 'tis pof-
ilble, that fuch are not of a more raifec
and enlarged Spirit, in the Service of the
Gofpel, m that fhort Seafon they hav<

her<

> State of a Christian." 7

here for it on the Earth, and how their
Difficulty fhould not be more, to bear
the Joy of fo great a Profpeft and Expec-
tation, than to bear any prefent Griefs
and Troubles. Yea, how a Mans Life,
who indeed fincerely makes the Chrifti-
an Profeffion, is not in fome more conti-
nued Tranfport of Ravifhment and Won-
dering, to know, that they are furely
made for their eternal State in another
World, and are among thofe, on whom
the glorious God hath chofen to have the
exceeding Riches of his Grace fhewecl
forth, in the Regions of BlefTednefs a-
bove forever.

5. He hath another Sight and ProfpeS
cf the Chriftian Creed, than moft who <
give an eafy Affent thereunto y and hath
.jhis Reafon fo dazled with the Revelation
of the Gofpel, and of the Wonders there-
of, as hath put him to f uch an Exercife,
as that 2 Chron.vi. iS. How to credit
his Eyes therewith, the more deep Re-
flection he hath upon the fame ^ but will
God in very Deed dwell with Men on the
Earth ? He judgeth, that they, ivho aftes
fome fluctuating Sufpence, are admitted*
to fee the Truth of Chriftianity, with
that Certainty of its Evidence, as the
B Greatnefi

8 A Defer i^tion , ofjhe confirmed

Greatnefs of fuch a Difcovery does ;re^
quire \ may have fome Ref emblance to
that Tranfport which the Angels had at
the firft Creation ^ when the Morning
Stars Tung together, and the Sons of God
fhouted for Joy ^ to fee themfelves thus,
who were brought .out of pure nothing,
entred into that ineffable Light of feeing
God, and alio their, own Bleflednefs in
him, in lo high a Degree. , So that he ac-
counts it on© of the higheft Attainments
of Religion, for a Chriftian indeed to Re-
lieve the Articles of his own Faith, and
have his Soul, as fully perftiaded hereof,
as of his Being \ that fuch a Time aflur-
edly was, and is now many Ages fince
paft, when the glorious Redeemer of the
Church, the lecond Perfon of the God-
head, came down from Heaven, and-was
revealed in our Nature./, that on him, a§
Surety to divine Juitice in the Room oi
the ele£t Church, was~the whole Guilt
and Sin thereof transferred j and in -this
marvellous Way did the holy God take
Satisfa&ion to himfelf, by himfelf^ that
thus our Nature is exalted, by the Incar-
nation of Chrift above the Nature of An-
gels 5 that the Time is near, when the
meanelt affii&ed Chxiltian {hall take~in

no

State of a Christian* $

no other Air,^ than the Breat-hibgs of the
higher Paradife above, and now hath an
Eternity of Joy. and Blefiednefs before
him-, that, within a very little' Time, he
fhall kucvv this Welcome of our bleffed
Redeemer to his Follqwers here on the
Earth, Come ye hlejfed of my Father , in-
herit the Kingdom, &c. When he fhall
take off the Crofs, and put on the Crown,
when it fhall be then na more a Matter of
Faith, but of Senfe, to be partaker of
that Inheritance with the Saints in Light j
and know thofe proper Manfions in that
State of Glory, and peculiar Aihgnment
thereunto, which all the Redeemed fhall
then have*, and be j)Ut-in the fame
Rank with the eleO: Angels -, to be as thofe
pure Flames of Love and joy:, yea, know
what it is to walk in. the Streets of the
JNeiv Jernfalem, which are as Gold,
transparent as Chriftal-, and what that
Meeting will be of his Soul perfected, and
in a triumphant State, with his glorified
Body, raifed incorruptible, and never to
part any more ?,- and to have his proper
Share of that bleffed and greater! Solem-
nity, that fhall be celebrated in Heaven;
the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb, w>ith
the whole triumphant Church -, and hear
"~~ B 2 that

to A Ttefcription of the confirmed ^

that honourable Account which the great
Judge will then make of thefe Trials of
his Faith, and fharp Conflicts which he
had gone through within Time \ with
that folemn Teftimony of Approbation,
which will be given hereof ! And, fince
'tis fure, thefe great Things muft be a
Part of the Chriftian Faith'-, can it be
Urange, that fuch, as would in that Man-
ner converfe therewith, (trio' they be not
jet feen) as no lefs^ undoubted Realities
than any prefent Objects of Senfe, cannot
be eafily fatisfied with a low Degree of
Evidence and Confirmation of their
Judgment 5 but would have their Joy
perfected fo far aslhis State of Mortality
can bear 5 and fo find it eafy to rejoice
and glory in Tribulation, and to weep
now for a Seafon, who are to rejoice for
ever $ yea, to fay in the Words of Me*
fhibojheth, Let them take it all, and en-
joy the fame, fince he, who is their Life,
and exceeding Joy, lives and reigns, whd
is infinitely better to them than all thefe
Things.

6. He accounts the ftrengthning of his
Faith, to be fuch a Concern, not only as
it is his Soul's Adventure for all Eternity,
but as the higheft Way of glorifying Gocjl

here:

State of a Christian. h

here : That whatever tends to a more ful*
Confirmation of the fame, he reckons al-
io one of the great eft Additions to his Joy
and Comfort withinTime _$ and that thefe
manifold Affiftances, (with fuch Redu-
plication thereof,) which the Lord hath
himfelf given for this End, are fuch,
that no Fragments of fo rich a Talent
fhould be loft j and tho* he knows the
greateft Demonftrations of our Faith can
add nothing to the Certainty of divine
Truth in itfelf; yet are they thus given,
in regard of the ftrong Trials of a Chri-
ftian^s Life, and of what their WeaknefTes
ftand in need of, for Support.

7. 'Tis in this Study, he fees and takes
to Heart, how not only the Condition of
Man in the Earth, but the Prof ellion of
Chrift alfo calls for fuch a Reckoning,
that he may have Trials in that Manner
difpenfed, that no vifible Refuge will be
-found in the leaft to ftand by him, but
all human Comfort and Affiftance wiH .
fail him, fo. that _he muft needs lay in
Ballaft now in its Seafon, and be found-
ed thereon, with that AfTuranee of Judg-
ment, as is needful for that Day, when
he muft either get through in the alone
Way of believing, againft Senfe3 or pe-
B 3 -rifh.

12 <A Defcription of the confirmed

rifh. And tho' no fuch Attainments of

' Light can bear out then, without prefent

and immediate Influences from|above,and

that it is fiire, according to the Day, fo

muft the Chriftian's- Strength be, yet does

he fee alfo the Want of an eftablifhed

Judgment, and of-fome proper Stock laid

«£ of Aids and Affiftances this Way a-

gainft a fharp Storm, is like to make fad

Work among the Profeffors of this Age,

ere the Trials of fuch a Time have done

their Work.

8. He fees alfo, how the greateft Con*
feft, which is this Day in the World, is
betwixt God and Man, upon the Truth
and Affurance of his Word 5 and that the
higheft Trial and Probation of a Chrifti-
an, in which aH the Trials of his Life do
ftill meet, may be refolved here •, if they
receive the Teftimorry of God, in his
Word, as an abfolute Security to rely on,
yea, or not. And thoJ this is the peculi«
ar Glory of the only true God, to have
an abfolute Dependence of his whole
Work on himfelf, -and to be the alone
Centre of his People's Reft $ yet rnajrno-
thing be more evident, than that with
Bioft he bears that Name of being their
Truft 5 when the whole Burden and

Weight

State of a Christian. f$

Weight thereof lies alone upon vifible
Grounds -, fo that thofe Bonds and Promi-
fes, which he hath himfelf given unto
Men, do bear no more Credit, than they^
have fome external Surety of in the Earth,
which they ftill look after, to ftand, as it
were, good and refponfible for the fame,
which is the higheft Indignity can be of-
fered to the glorious Majefty of God.

9. He does much take to Heart this
prefent Period of Time, wherein the flu*
£tuating Sufpence, and halting of fo many
under a vifible Profeffionof the Truth,
is now one of the moft difmal Signs here-
of-, and that it feems to be the Time,
wherein theXord will, in an unfual Way,
take this Generation off from any impli-
cite Profeffion of the fame-4 and when
that great Roll of vifible ProfefTors in all
the Reformed Churches, may be ere long
in that Manner called, as each muft an*
fwer to his own Name, and be put to
ftand to the Proof before the World ^ when)
no temporal Intereft, but internal Mo-
tives, and Certainty of the Truth, upon
its own Evidence, muft bear one out 5 yea,
that the moft eftablifhed may ere long
find it not eafy to be kept from ftagger*
ing'y and a few Days come in the Church's

14 *& Defctiptlon of the confirmed

Way, more .remarkable for Trial, than
have been in fome Ages before.

Character II.

A truly confirmed Chrijiian, may be
thus alio flared, as one, who is, in the
firft Place, molt deeply taken up about
that rare Plot of Man's Redemption $ -and
to fee thefe great, and wonderful Truths
there, not fingly, and apart, but in that
Harmony, Order, and Confent of all the
Parts thereof, as they are linkt together
in this marvellous Frame •, fo as to make
the "Whole one entire Piece. And where-
of no Part does in the leaft interfere with
another. Which he finds to be one of the-
moft principal Demonflrations of this
great My fiery of the Gofpel, which the
Lord hath given for confirming his Peo-
ple's Faith. And thus, in another Man-
ner than formerly, can he now entertain
his Soul herewith ; and have his Joy un-
speakably heightened.

i. To fet at once the ruined State of
fallen Man, and what a Flood-gate of all
Evil is let loofe on Adam's Race, not on-
ly morally in Sin, but what is Penal in
the Woe and Miferies thereof 5 yea, fuch

a State.

State of a Christian. 15

a State, where all hope of Relief is for
ever cut oft in the Way of Nature, or by
any created Help ; and where the Execu-
tion of a righteous Sentence on Men for
the voluntary Violation of a Law, jufr,
holy, and good, can be no Impeachment
in theleaft of the Righteoufnefs of God $
but then therewith he does fee, fuch a Re*
lief brought to Light, as can not only
anfwer the whole Extent of this Ruin,
but the Glory of ; God more eminently
difplayed therein, than if the Law had
been obeyed, or abfolutely executed in
its. Penalty on -the whole Race of Man.
Yea, which makes this more wonderful,
to fee a higher Difpeni n. of Grace un-
to Man, now under ! fpel, than was
to *Adam in his whereby
inmimera- iiideto en-
dure and j *'i- nger AlTaults,
than bro> ex en in his Integrity;
which is a Ih. ig lo marvellous, that the
great and infinite God only could find out
and effedt it. '_

2. He does now fee, how clear aCon-
fiftence and Harmony is here, that he
who had no Sin by Inhefion, but was
holy, harmlefs, andundefiled, fhould Be
under the greateft Weight of Sin by Im-
putation ^

1 6 A [ Defer ipion of the confirmed

putation h and by the exadteft Rule of dl
vine Juftice, be made liable toanfwer both
the whole Duty, and full Penalty of the
Xaw. having, as Surety, betwixt the Cre-
ditor and Debitor, put himfelf in his
People's Room, to. anfwer the Full De-
mands thereof, both for Debt and- Cut}'.

3. It is here, he does fee, that
bleft Con fen t and Harmony betwixt the
fpotlefs Juftice of God, and his marvel-
lous Grace 5 fo as his Love is- to the high-
eft ; glorified, hi that marvellous Way,
which fecures the full and compleat Satis-
faction of his Law, and all the Rights of
inviolable Juftice.

4. Whilft he is thus dazled with the
Greatnefs of fuch a Light, and put to en-
quire what fuch a Myftery can mean, he js
then further led on to fee, that rare Plot
and Contrivance of the Covenant of Re-
conciliation between God and Man, here
within Time 5 to be the very Duplicate,
and Counterpart of that eternal Tranfa-
clion and Stipulation between the Father
and the Son ; and thus fees whatever God
hath declared, and promifed in the form-
er to his Church, was fir ft promifed and
fecured to our bleffed Head in the Cove-
nant of Redemption, wherein, as with a

reverend

.

State of a Christian. 17

reverend and awful Diftance, fo with the
greateft Evidence of Light, he is made
to fee here thefe -reciprocal Obligations be-
twixt them, and mutual Truft for mak-
ing good the whole Terms thereof in the
appointed Time.

5. He does alfo clearly fee, that rare
Order, and Harmony of Time, in thefe
iignal Periods of the Revelation of this
great Myftery of Chrift, which from its
-more dark Difcovcry, andDawning, did
ffill more glorioufly open itfelf to the
Ohurch ^ by a gradual Light, and unvail-
ing of the iame, as the. Sun in its Courfe
4into the perfect Day \ yea, he hath his
Faith unfpeakably confirmed, to fee
'herewith the Gofpel Church being ftill
the fame, whether jof Jews or Gen*
4iles^ and how that Series and Con-
fent hath yet never been broken off, fince
the beginning of a Church, called forth
irom the Refidue of Mankind, fet apart,
as a peculiar People for the Lord •, where
none ever had Right and Privilege to be
Members of the fame, but by Faith m
iheMeJ/ias, and FrofeJFion of their Obe-
dience to his Laws.

6. It is in this Union and Harmony, he
fees all the Branches, and Parts of Gofpel

Obedi^

f& A Defer if t ion of the confirmed

Obedience moft exadily meet and" termi-
nate, to, advance, both the greateft Ex-
cellency and BlefTednefs of Man, and af-
fimilate him to the bleffed Image of God.
Yea, how all the Rules and Precepts
thereof, do fo entirely confpire for this
End, as may conftrain the World to fee,
and admire the glorious Nature and Per-
fections of him, whofe Laws thefe are,
wherein he does fo brightly ihine forth.

7. Nor can he look ferioufly herein,
and not fee that fweet Concord, as a
Part of this Harmony, which is betwixt
the promiflbry and mandatory Part of the
Gofpel^ fo as the Chriftian's Comfort is
moft fully eftablifhed, and no Duty abo-
lifhed 51 but the very Path-road to the
tnoft full Enjoyments of the Promife and
proper Way to attain Reft and Tranquil-
lity of Spirit, muft be ever by taking on
the Yoke of Chrift.

8. Yea, to confirm this entire Union
and Harmony more fully, he now fees,
that exa£t ana marvelloHsCorrefpondence
which |is betwixt that firffc fundamental
Promife of the Mejfias, and the. Event *
betwixt all the ancient Figures and Types
of the Levitical Service, and the Revela-
tion of Chrift himfelf, in which all thefe

did

State of a Christian. i^

did meet, as in their proper Centre, and
now have their full End and AccomplifK-
ment.

9. His Confirmation thus grows to fee,
that wonderful Confent of Chriftianity,
and native Refult hereof, to put. fallen
Man in a due Pofture towards God, to-
wards his Neighbours, and towards him-
felf t, fo as he may know by Faith and
Adoration, how to enjoy God, and his
Brother, by Love ^ and thus by Patience,
Meeknefs and Humility, to poflefs his
own Soul, and enjoy himfelf.

10. Yea, it is in this rare and wonder-
ful Frame,- he is made to fee, and no
"Sight can be like this, that exacl Corref-
pondence which is betwixt the Foundation
and Superftrudture, how the whole Tra£fc
of the Gofpel is but one entire and com-
pleat Means to glorify God, and reftore
fallen Man to the higheft Bleflednefs.
How that excellent Stream of Sanctifica*
tion, does flow from that Fountain Head
of an eternal Decree ^ which does ftill run
under theGround, until it break up atlaft
in the Heart of each Chriftian, by the
effe&ual Call of the Gofpel; and thus
runs down through Time, until it lofe_ it-
i elf in that unconceiveabk Deep of Per-
C feclicn

20 A Defcripim of the. cmfirmei

fe&ion and Glory. Thus is it, that, each
Chriftian might attain fome higher De-
grees of -Confirmation in his Faith, than
irioft feem either to know, or look after,
If he underftood more how to improve this
rare comparing Work of Religion, by
letting the great Truths and Principles
thereof in their Order and Dependence,
fo as each may be feen, in its neceflary
Coherence with other, and under its pro-
per Afpe£t.

But the more deep Reflection and En- *
quiry he hath herein, he. is the more made
to wonder, and finds this one of the great
Aflaults to his Faith \ that the Revelati-
on of .Chriffi, and Redemption by his
Blood, mould have no greater Effe&s
this Day amongft Men, and that the
Chriftian World is not in fome other Man-
ner awakened with the Glory of this
Light, and preft after a^ larger fpreading
and Diffufion of this .higheft and univer-
fal Good to poor Mankind; yea, the
more he confiders this, it doth heighten
his Amazement to think, how Mens De-
figns in the Matter of Duty and Service
for the Kingdom of Chrift, can be fo low
within Time, who-fe Defigns and Hopes

in

State of a Christian. 21

in the Clofe thereof, are fo high in the
Jviatter of Enjoyment $ or take fo little
to Heart, that the whole Day of the Dif-
penfation of the Gofpel, a mid ft the moil
difmal Trials that may fall in therewith,
is a continued Time wherein we are cal-
led to keep the Feaft, and fwm one Age
to another celebrate the fame, as a per-
petual Jubilee of Joy and Exultation,
flnce Chrift our PafTover was facrificed for
us^ but, oh! how rare a Thing feems
this to be, and how little of that Flame
and Fervency of Love to our blefled Re-
deemer is now kindled on his Altar?
Such as might be expected'on f uch won-
derful Incitements thereto, and which
once were in the Church.

Character III.

Tho' a confirmed ChrifHan, moil be
fpecially ftated as fuch, one v/ho knows
the internal Part of Religion, and Sealing
Work of the Holy Ghoit on his own Soul,
which is not by Words, but Things cf the
highe ft Truth, Subftance and Reality;
yet is he not fatisfled to know this by fpi-
, ritual Senfe, until he caa fee the fame
with tlie furtheft Evidence of Lightalfo
C 2 to

2 2 A Defcripion of the confirmed

to his Mind-, and have no lefs a clear and
judicious Trial of this great Myftery ol
experimental Religion, for Confirmation
of his Faith, than to be fenfibly affe&ed
with the felt Power thereof. And, jn the
firft Place, why this is necefla'rily requi-
fite and called for, with refpect to the
confirmed State of a Chriflian, may be
thus confidejed, on fome few Grounds.

I. That the Things of Religion, which
muft be experienced within Time, are
fuch fublime and wonderful Myfteries,
as may be juft Matter of Aftonifhment,
and make Men a 'Wonder to themfelves,
to think that thefe prefent Pledges of fo
great a Hope which is to come, are no
Shadows, no Appearances of Things,
but moffc fure and undoubted Realities ^
and that fuch there are this Day in the
Earth, who know fo near a Converfe
with an invifible God, and the fuperna--
tural Truths of his Word, with the fenfi-
■ tie Feeling of the ineftimable Love of
Chrift, by this Demonftration of Experi-
ence 5 yea, who in fuch diimal Times do
affuredly know, what the Joy of his Pre-
fence, and an immediate Fellowfhip with
their blefled Head is, upon the gre'ateft
Certainty of Trial j fince thefe are fo

high,

State of a Christian^ 23-

high, and marvelous Things, which ex-
ceed all natural Understanding, as the
felt Sweetnefs of their Enjoyment fhould
not more deeply take Men up, than, to
fee the Truth and Surenefs of thefe Prin-
ciples, whereon they build.

2. Becaufe this Teftimony of the
Truth of experimental Religion, fhould
be underftood, not only as 'tis of higher!
Ufe for Chriftians perfonal (Comfort and
Eftabliihment *, but with refpect to the
public Inrereft of the Church 5 a fpecial.
Duty it is to have the Credit of this
greater! Teftimony and Seal, demonftra-
bly cleared, with the furtheft Strength
of harmonious and argumentative Rea«,
fon, for fuch who look but at a Diftance
yet thereon *, .which may not only awa?
ken them to fome deeper Senfe and Im-
preffion hereof, but conftrain them to
fee, how no natural Science hath more
clear and firm Demonftrations, than the
experimental Part of Chriftianity, which
is the very Life and Soul thereof, may
have to Mens Reafon and judgment, tho9
they never knew it within themfelves.
Yea. for this End, fhould- fuch-, as have
experienced the Truth and Virtue of 'the
Gofpel, reckon themfelves as Witneffes y
C 3 who

24 *d Defer iption of the confirmed

who are judicially obliged to put their
Seal thereunto •, and is *now more called
for in an Age, when no particular Truth
feems more ftrongly impugned, than the
Reality of experimental Godlinefs is \ arid
become as a public Theam of Derifion •,
tho' Men muft either quit the whole Re-
velation of the Scripture, or fee this to be
as effential to the Conftitution of aChri-
ftian> as vital Principles are to a living
Man.

3. Yea, 'tis fure herein, that fuch as
take Religion to Heart, muft needs look
to be put to the greateft Trial of its Cer-
tainty and mould moft nearly concern
themfelves, to know if they can abide, as
firmly by their spiritual Senfe, as by
that which is natural •, and do know as
furely in themfelves the Operations and
Motions of a Spiritual Life, as that they
have Being by Nature $ and that here be
no doubtful or abftracl Notions, but
which have had deep Trial and Reflecti-
on on them *, that they, who dare to ven-
ture their eternal State on the known
Certainty thereof, do Reafon their Souls
to a ftedfaft Adherence to the Truth,
when they are called to facrifice their
Lives thereto \ to wit, from the rare Ex-
periments

State of a Christian. 2?

periments and Proofs, the&have oft had
of the fame in their own WfiaL

4. It doth more fpeei&fiy call for a
demonstrative clearing of the Credit of
this Teilimony, as one of the Services of
Religion, to promote the Kingdom of
Chrift amOngfl Men, which feem§ leaft
improved of any, with refpedt to the ge-
neral State of iuch- who are within the
Church, who are fo great Strangers to
the fame •, yea, mould be judged one of
the great Wants of this Day, when Athe-
ifm is now at fo aftoiiifhing a Height,
that it is not more fludied to have the ex-
perimental Part of Religion, (which in
itfelf lies deep and hid, and is a Secret
betwixt God and the Chriftian's Soul,)
with fuch Clearnefs, and by that Manner
of Evidence demonstrated to the World,
as might tend to beget fome more awful
Senfe and Convidion hereof, when fuch
clear and unanfwerable Grounds might be
improved for this End, on thofe who look
thereon, as fome ftrange and dark Rid-
dle, fo as they could no more deny, or
withftand the Evidences hereof, than that
theyliavea living Soul which yet they
never faw-, or could ever be the Objed:
of human Senfe* And, how fad a Prof-

pe£t

2 6 A fiefcriptioft of the confirmed

peel fhoolcj this give of the greateft Part
of the Chriftian World, who. not only
know nothing of the true Glory and fpi-
ritual Powers of Chriftianity, but have
not the very Notion, or any Senfe of the
Reality oifuch a Thing?

But, in the fecond Place, it is thus,
that each Chriftian, for being folidly con-
firmed in the Way of Religion, may as
clearly fee, as he does fenfibly feel, the
Truth of his own Experience, and have
his Faith as fully eftablilhed by this in-
ward and great Demonftration of the
Things of God, as his ArTeclions are
quickened, upon fuch ftrong and demon-
ftrative Grounds of the Certainty hereof,
as thefe are,

i. By considering his prefent and for-
mer State* that not in a Dream, but in
the molt deep and ferious Compofure of
Spirit," he knows that once he was blind,
and wholly eftranged from this Myftery
of Chriftian Experience, which now he
does fee $ and once had the fame Senti-
ment hereof with fuch who do. never at
all reflecl on the fame % but no fooner
did the Truth, and Power of Religion
feize on his Soul, than he found himfelf
entred into a new World, to knowthe

J) awnings

State of a Christian. 27

Dawnings of this marvelous Light, and
what belongs to thefe Enjoyments, and
vital Acts of Chriftianity, that have not
the leaft Dependence on any natural
Caufe.c

2. By considering the marvelous Su-
perftructure of experimental Religion,
which from the inward Obfervation of
Christians in all Ages, is fuch as the World
could not aim oft contain the Books -that
might be written hereof 5 which yet is lo
entirely founded on one and the fame
Foundation, and does^ in all the Lines of
this great Circumference, ftill meet in
the fame Centre •, yea, thus how entire
and harmonious a Thing Religion, in all
the Parts thereof is within upon the Soul,as
well as without -, fo as every Step in this
Way of the Experience of the Saints is
no groping in the Dark, but what is by
Line and by Rule, with as fureancTde-
monftrable a Connection with the exter-
nal Teftimony of the Word, as there is in
Nature, betwixt the Caufeandthe Effect^
which affords a more wonderful Aflift-
ance to his Faith, than the greateft exter-
nal Miracles could ever do 5 and tho' the
Spirit of God, does fometimes, in an ex-
traordinary Manner, reveal himfelf to

Men

28 A Defcription of the confirmed

Men, (as a£ts<fof his Sovereign Preroga-
tive, which make no Rule ) yet with the
eftabliflied Conftitutions of his Word,
does the continued Experience of the
Saints mbft harmonioufly ever carref-
pond.

3. By confidering thus alfo the Being
and Reality ©f Grace;, not in its Effe&s
only, but in its proper Caufe. and Origi-
nal, and how the Truth of Holinefsin the
Life of a Chriftian, is fo exprefs aTran-
fcript of the Gofpel, in its external Re-
velation 5 that the Imprefs doth not more
clearly anfwer the Seal on the Wax,
than it doth beget the feme Form and I-
mage of itfelf in fuch as believe^ yea
alfo, that Conformity it .bears- to the ever-
blefled Archetype, as well as to the re-
vealed Rule 5 and, how bright a Dif co-
very is this of fo glorious a Being. and
Nature, to which 'tis conformed > Who is
the alone Pattern and Example of all
Truth and Holinefs-, which is fo great a
Difcovery, as he is made to wonder, that
Men, in this Age, are fo much awaken-
ed to find out the true Phenomena of Na-
ture, (tho' in its own Room a raoft
choice Study, and fpecially defireable,)
and will be as in a Tranfport, upon fome

rare

State of a Christian. a9

rare natural Experiment, as made one in
that Manner, cry out, Ihaye found it,
I have found it \ whilft here is ano-
ther Kind of Demonftration, and of.
more tranfcendent Intereft than all rhefe
could ever amount to, on which the Eyes
of moll are this Day ftiut.

4. By confidering that unchangeable
Congruity, which is betwixt the Nature
of thefe Things enjoined in the whole In-
ftitutions of the Gofpel, and Mens being
made happy thereby, now in their pre-
fent State ; and hov/ great a temporal Re-
venue of the Fruits of Religion, as in-
ward Confidence, Peace, and Serenity of
Mind, doth as natively follow the Life
and Practice hereof, as the Fruit of a
Tree anfwers to its_ Kind, and is ever
found the alone true Relief of Mankind,
againft all the Griefs and Bitternefs of
Time; yea, that 'tis no Diftance of
Place, but of Mens Spirit by Impurity
and Corruption, that makes fo fad a Di-
ftance betwixt God and Man here in the
Earth.

?. He is thus further confirmed upon

his great Teftimony of experimental
Religion, by confidering that 'tis fure

uch as do bear this Witnefs are known,

1. To

'36 \A Defcription of the confirmed

i. To be-fucty who are of the moft dis-
cerning and judicious in the Things "of
Reafon, as well as any elfe.- 2. Whole
Walk and Pra&ice ufe to have the greateft
Authority over Mens Consciences with
whom they converfe. 3. Who are found
moft intenfly taken up in the retired
Work and Duties of Religion 5 that can
have no Refpecl to the Witnefs and Ob-
fervation oi others. 4, Who feek no irn-j
plicit Credit from any herein ^ but do
pray Men to come, and fee, and prove
the fame in their own Experience^
with an Appeal to the moft exacl: Inqui-
ry, and rational Trial of all Mankind,- if
here be any cafual Thing -y and if that
Teftimony of the doctrinal and experi-
mental Part, of Religion, be not ftill one
and the fame. ?. Who alfo out of the
jnoft remote Places of the Earth, and o-
iherwife Strangers amongft themfelves,do
yet moft harmonioufly meet in the fame
Witnefs, and are thus mutually difclofed
to each other, by a near and feeling In-
tercourfe of their Souls, from fuch an
Onenefs in a fpiritual State, and thofe
fpecifick Properties of a fpiritual and new
Nature, with as difcernible Evidence, as
if one Man fhould meet with another of

the

State of a Christian, ^i

the fame Kind, In fiich a Place of the
Earth, which were only inhabited with
Beafts.

6. By confiderirjg alfo, with a deep
and ferious Reflection hereon, that fure^
and known Conjunction, which is be-
twixt the moft rare Experiences of a -
Chriftian's Life, and the jnoft fearching
Trials thereof, with that uniform Confent
that hath in all Ages of the Church been,
in f uch marvelous Things, as thefe.

i. What folemn Tokens and Teftimo-
nies of the Love of God, and his Accept-
tance, are found ufually to meet his Peo-
ple in the Entry of fome great Trial or
Service for him $ even in fome unufua!
Manner then, in the Senfe whereof, as it
was with TLlijah, they have heen made to
go many Days after in a Wildemefs-
State ^ yea, how this does not refpecl Per-
sons only, but Churches \ that the Word
ftill ufeth to go before with fome remark-
able confirming Work, to fecure the
Heart before the Crofs, and fome fpecial
Trial of Perfection comes. 2. That, as
each Day hath its proper Burden and
Work, fo hath it its proper Allowance
provided for the fame* which fhould be
no lefs fought after by a Chriftian, than
D his

• 3 i A Defcrlption of the confirmed

his daily Bread, and when the Preffure of
fuch a Day grows to fome more /Jugular
Height i io alfo mould the Exprience
hereof be in Faith fought for and expert-
ed. 3/ How the' choice ft Mercies are re-
served to the faddeft Times of a Chrifti-
an's Lot 5 and moft ufnally crofs to their
own Choice, and they have had the great-
eft Struglings with thofe Methods of Pro-
vidence, which in the liTue tended moft
to their Advancement. 4. Yea, how the
Returnings of a long deferred Hope, a£
ter much humble waiting have beeivto
them, as a Pifgah, whence they have
not only had a clear and comforting Prof-
pe£t of theirby-paft Trials, but have b^en
more fully confirmed for the Time to
come •, and can bear now that Teftimony,
that the Lord hath cleared all paft Things
to them, and hath taken the Vail off. his*
Work, which 'for. long had been as a
dark and ftrange Riddle.

7. This likewife gives a moft clear and
confirming Profpe£t of that great Seal of
Experience, when he can now fee, both
in his own Cafe, and of others, what the
Iffne of believing in a fingular Exigency
and Trial, and upon fome fpecial Acl: of
Truft and Adventure herein, does at laft

come

State of a Christian. ^

come to } which, the more deeply 'tis con-
ffdered, he finds one of the moil peculiar
Atilftances xto his Faith-, and one of the
greatefl Attainments of experimental Re-
ligion within Time • when he can thus
fee the fame Way of believing, in iorne
ftrong and extraordinary Afla-ults, which
he hath found tocrulh and break him
herein 5 which hath carried fo 'many tho-
rough in their fad deft Trials $ bring him
alfo in his Turn, to be an Inftance in the
fame Kind, to bear an honourable ..Tefti-"
mony, to this fure and excellent "Way of
believing before the World, that none
may fear after him to hold hy the Promife
of God, and venture on that Security,
tho5 it then feem againft Hope, whofe
Difpenfations, did yet never give his
Word the Lye.

m Character- IV.

He is a truly confirmed Chriftian, who
in a difmal Time, is not ftaggered in his
Faith from the'prefent Signs and Appear-
ances thereof,, but hath his Soul ballaft-
ed with fuch folid Grounds of Confirma-
tion againft the fame, that thofe Provi-
dences, whereat others do mo ft ftumble,
D 2 tend

54 ^ Defer iff ion If the confirmed . .

tend to his further ftrengthning in the
Way of the Lord, when he does now
clearly fee, ■

i. How Tribulation, and the Crofs,
make^ one of the 1*1 oft illuftrious and
beautiful Parts of the whole Frame" of
Providence about the Church, and in the
Lot of each -Chriftian \ €6, as there can
be no poffible ftumbling -to any for Want
of Light here, -that fore Trials and Di-
fbreffes mould moft remarkably follow-
thofe in the Journey, who have an eter-
nal Bleffednefs before them in the clofe
hereof^ when lo great a Part of the Scrip-
ture is directed, not only for Comfort,
But for clear Conduct of the Chriftiaifs
Faith, *hrough all the Intricacies and La-
byrinths of fuch a Difpenfation. He fees
Show highly congruous it is to the infinite
Wifdom of God, that fo f trait and nar-
row a Way, in fuch a State of Trial as is
here, mould go before the State of ever-
lafting Enjoyment 5 that there mould be
fuch a Stage and Theatre alio, whereon
the paffive Graces of the Spirit, may not
only be exercifed, but difplayed in their
true Luftre, and Glory before Angels,
and Men. Yea, that thus the Redeemed

of

State of a Christian^ 35

of the Lord fliould be firft trained in fo
(harp a Warfare, as may not only put
a due Value, and Refpedt on the Great-
nefs of that Triumph, and Reward which
is to come, but be Matter of ineffable
Joy and Exultation, that ever they, were
admitted thus to evidence their Love and
Adherence to their blefled Head, and his
Truth here on the Earth $■ and accounted
worthy to be put on lome hotter^ervice,
and to peculiar Trials and Conflicts, this
Way beyond others, far lome Example
and Encouragement to the Church in thek
Day^ and here alio, he can now fee, how
the greateft Enjoyments of Comfort, are
-more owing to the moil fharp and afflict-
ing Trials of their "Life, than to the
greateft external Calm 5 and that to en-
dure patiently, and fuffer for the Name
ofCERisT, is fuch a Privilege, as the e»
lect Angels have not been admitted to.
Yea, that the Lord's chaftning: Work,
and foreft fmiting of his own, is an Act
alfo of faving-, fo that thus, the more
deeply. he fearcheth here, the more doe$
he fee, admire, and confent to that glo-
rious Piece of the Adminiftration of Pro-
vidence about the Church j and finds it to
D I fee

3 6 <A- Defcription of the confirmed

he one of the greateft Confirmations hi
his Faith within Time.

i. He does now clearly fee, how the
Truth and Faithfulnefs of God is com-
menfurate to his whole "Work of Provi-
dence; and that all the Lines hereqf, as
they do lead from his» revealed Counfel
5n the Scripture, ( which is the adequate
Sign of his eternal Counfel and Decree's,)
fo do they return thither again, to make
this great Demonftration clear 5 that if a
full Hiftory were written of this World,
and what hath been confpicuous thorough
the whole Series of Times pari ii*all thefe
Conjunctions of inferior Caufes, (whe-
ther neeeffary, free, or contingent, and
of fuch Events that feem moft cafual,)
it mould be nothing elfe but an exa£t
Tranfcript and Hiftory of the Bible, to
bear this witnefs, that the World is no*
thing, but God fet forth in his own
Scripture Light. 35ut tho5 a full Difcove-
ry hereof be not attainable within Time,
yet is it a fad and deplorable Want, that
the great Acls of the Lord, in each Age
of the Church, are not more fearched,
sand fought out of all them that take Plea-
f ure therein, that they may be feen, ob-
ferved, and admired, by that Part of the

Creation,

State of a Christian. 37

Creation, Angels, and Men, who are on-
ly in ■ a Capacity to know the fame.
Which is a Service for the Lord, wherein
ms Praife and declarative Glory is_. fo
highly concerned, that a Chriftian mould
acco#i|t the ineaneft Room herein, one
of the^moft defireable Attainments with-
in Time. Yea, it feems juft Matter of
Regret alfo, that this comes .not under a
more public Care and Notice of particu-
lar Churches, and of the Chriftian Ma-
giftrate (where Religion hath any true
Regard,) to have fuch folemn Providen-
ces as occur in that Time and Place,
which may be called moil inftruclive Pro-
vidences to the Church, (and of a further
Reach and Extent than any private Ufe,)
both fearched after and recorded 5 as be-
comes fo high a Service to the Chriftian
Caufe, and one of the higheft Concerns
of Pofterity, in order to have them not
only poffe fled of a pure Religion, but of
that Seal alfo, which the Lord hath in
the great AQs of Providence appended
thereto. And thus to have that Increafe,
which each fucceflive Age brings there-
with to the public Stock ol the Church,
looked after," as a Piece of t-he* greaterl
Truft repofed thereon 5 fo that the Chil-
dren

3 8 A Defer ipioPt ' of the confirmed

dren rife not up. and fay, we" have not
heard, nor have" our Fathers faithfully
communicated to us, the Wondrous Works
which the Lord hath wrought in their
Time.

3. He is thus alfo taught to fee the de-
monftrative Caufes of the moft ftrange
Judgments on the Church, to be as clear
in the Scripture, as they are in the Event.
And tho5 the holy God, in the Day of his
Patience and Long- fuffering, is not alike
quick in the Execution of the Sentences
of his Word v yet, does he ever efta-
blim the Authority of his Laws, by the
Works of his Providence, in the raoft op-
portune S'eafon, and as Judgment deferred
is no Acquittance, fo does it more
threaten its being the greater, when it
comes, than a quick and prefent Dif-
patch ; yea, tho' this Tempeft, which
now blows on the Churches of Chrif},
come to a greater Height, and the Dark-
nefs be fuch, as no Moon, or Stars, may
for many Days }^et appear of any vifible
Signs of Hope-, yet is his Soul thus at
Reft, whilft he can fee the Credit of the
Truth cleared, on which he haih more in
Truft than any Adventure within Time ^
and doth rejoice, whaler inifa prying

there

• State of a Christian." 59

there may be of inferior Ends, that this
great, and ultimate End of the Works of
God is fecured herein ^ and the Glory of
his Truth doth (hine forth in the raoft
Itraoge and amazing Adts of his Provi-
dence, whereat many are ready to dag-
ger, when they do not wifely confider
the fame.

4. He fees now likewife, fo high^ a
Value which the Lord puts on the Trial
of his People's Faith, and that the great
Difpenfation whereby he deals with Men,
is by Truft, and on .the Credit of his
Word, as it adds further to his Confirma-
tion, to fee all human and vifible Refu-
ges oft taken out of his Church's Sight.
Yea, his greateft Works in the Earth,
make the greateft Delay ere they be
brought forth, and his Church's Cafe is
put fo far beyond Help before a Cure, as
the firft. quickning of her emitted, and
almoft dead Hope, muft be at the Mouth
of the Grave ^ and he is thus herein more
Angularly ftrengthned, that when the
Lord f peaks the fame in the Way of Pro-
vidence, which he hath fpoke in his
Word, (not by Might nor by Power,)
that he doth with unfpeakable Advan-
tage, fupply and fill the Room thereof

by

4-0 A J3efcription of the confirmed

by the next Word, (but by my Spirit,
faith the Lord) Which in this Day
fhould with a full AfTurance of Faith be
both fought and looked after.

$. It is in this rare Study, he attains
alfo the greater! Confirmation" to his
Faith, that could polfibly be defired
within Time : to iee now when 'tis
fo near the Clofe thereof, and after all
the Revolutions of Times part, how
the Truth' and Faithfulnefs of Cod,
hath, as the Sun in its Strength, frill
kept its Way Straight and fixt amidft
all thofe dark Clouds, which have been
to darken the fame, and is now gone its
Courfe, until it draws near to the full
and perfefl: Day •, yea, thus to fee how
iignally this prefent Age is held upon
that fame Appeal, and folemn Teftimo*
ny, which Jojhua gave, Jojhua xxiii.
14.. Ihdt not one Ihing hath failed of all
the good Things which the Lord your God
fpake concerning you, all are come to pafs
to you, and not one Wring hath failed
thereof'; and Solomon did bear alfo at the
Dedication of the Temple, 1 Kings viii.
■56. Bkjjed he the Lord, that hath given
Reft unto his People Ifrael, according to
all that he promifed, there hath not

failed

State of a Christian^ 41

failed one Word of all his good Promifey
which he promifed by the Hand of Moles
his Seryant ; fo is this now, that great
Teftimon'y of the latter Days, and the
higheft Tribute of Praife to the Glory of
God in his Truth, which can be given by
Men, that this prefent Generation Hands
accountable to make the lame 5 yea,
much greater Appeal to the World, If
they can inftance onePromife or Predi-
ction of that facred Record of the Scrip-
ture, which hath ever failed or fallen to
the Ground, "but may be read this Day
in the Event, andr under thofe proper
Circumftances wherein it was to take
Place in its proper Seafon, as evidently as
it was foretold. And muft ftill bear the
fame Witnefs, Vfal. xviii. 30. That 'the
Way of the Lord is perfect , and his Word
tried on all the Adventurers of Faith and
Trials, which to this Moment of Time
lave been made hereof, and of his being
lill a Buckler to fuch as trull in
him, and are called to fend this glorious
Teftimony to the fucceeding Ages, that
it may never ceafe to mine or want a pu-
blic Witnefs thereto, before Angels and
Men, until the whole Mvftery of God
in his Word be finifrxed, in that magni-
ficent

42 A Defcriftion of the confirmed

ficent Clofe, which fhall be thereof at
at the fecond coming of the Lord.

Character V.

A confirmed Chriftian, in this Day,"
fhould be thus alfo ftated, as one, who
hath not only attained a folid Reft and
Settlement of Mind, upon the Certainty
of the Chriftian Faith, but does know
the pure genuine Truth of Chriftia.nity,
.amidft fuch high Oppositions betwixt the
Romijb and Reformed Church herein.

And, in thefirfl Place,hath in thisMan-
ner held hiimfelf upon fuch a Trial t, i. As
one, who knows there is but one true and
faving Religion in theEarth,to which God
hath 'annexed the Promifeof eternal Life,
which can never be divided againft itfelf
2. Who knows, that within a little while,
his Religion will be tried in the Truth
thereof at the Tribunal of Chrift-, where
every Man muft give Account of himfelf
unto God. g. Who fees there can be no
poflible indifference in the exterior Pro-
feffion of either Way, but that fo high a
Contrariety of Principles is in this Oppo-
sition, that if the Do&rine of Chrift be
on the one Hand, it is fure, Antkhriftia-

nlfm

State of a Christian; 4$

nifm muft be on the other Hand. 4.
Yea, who hath in that abftradt Manner
fought to fra^e the Cafe herein with his
own Soul, as i lie were juft come out of
Pagan:fm, to g ve a ierious AiTen-t to the
Divinity of the Scripfure, and were now
prefled to join in with that Profeflion of
the Chriftian Faith, which is moft exact-
ly conform to the fame, in the genuine
and perfpicuous Senfe thereof!

In the fe'cond Place, he hath fought to
know, how he could embrace the Popiflj
Creed, and adventure 'liis eternal- State
thereon •, or, how he could extinguifh
his Reafon and Conference, fo far as to
believe, that the holy God would ex^er
impofe fuch a Faith upon Men as this is.-
1. Where he muft abandon thefe Princi-
ples of natural Reafon, in the mofr. ne-
ceffary Ufe thereof, which God hath him-
felf planted in Man's Soul : fo as not to
truft his own Eyes, but others, in that
great Interefl: of his eternal State 5 and
with his own Confent be (hut out from
all proper Knowledge of the Rule of his
Religion 5 yea, account a blind and unli-
mited Obedience to Men, amongft the
higheft Excellencies of Faith. 2. Where
he muft at once believe the Fulnefs and
E Per-

44 *A Defer iption of the confirmed

Perfection of the Scripture ^ which is not
only fitted for that great End of bringing
Mankind to.God, but for fuch an univer-
fal Ufe he/ein, as to make the Simple
wife, and caufe the Poor to receive the
Gofpel i and yet believe alfo, that it is a
Mais of dead and unfenfed Characters, un-
til the Romijh Clergy put a jiift SQiifo
thereon, tho5 itsSenfe and Meaning is the
very Soul thereof; Yea, thus pals from
the Letter of the fame, and all Certainty
of its Truth, from ihtnnfick Evidences,
and thefe Marks and Characters of its
Divinity, whereby the Chriftian Caufe '
could be maintained again ft Pagans. 3.
"Where he muft believe; alio, that thefe
are the Words of Chrift, Johnvn. 17.
If any Man do my Willr he jh all know my
Doclfine, whether it be of God or not>
and that Men err through not knowing the
Scripture,, Matth. xxii. And yet believe
all the while, that thefe facred Fountains
of Light mould be fruit up to keep Men
from Errors ^ and that the fole Right of
underftanding the fame, belongs to a few,
not to the Multitude 5 who yet can pre-
tend no extraordinary AiFiftance or Re-
velation herein, nor will themfelves
come to thefe Waters of Jealoufy to be

tried.

State of a Christian. 4?

tried. 4. Where he muft needs believe,
that the Scriptures are the Oracles of God
committed to the Church, to give Arifwer
in every dark Cafe, Rom. iii, 2. The
Type and Form of found Doctrine, _Rom\
vi. 17. Unto whole Sentence, in all Mat-
ters, both of Faith and Practice, we are
exprefly referred, Ifaiah viii. 20. And
yet believe alfo, that it hath no Authori-
ty or decifive Voice ^ but what is preca-
rious and dependent on the Romijh Church,
and thus confent to have the whole Chri-
stian Faith, vifiblyunhinged of the Foun-
dation of the Scripture •, and mbjeeted to
a fnpreme, vifible, and pretended infal-
lible Judge here in the Earth, with fuch
a Claim of Dominion. over 'the Faith of
the Saints, as the Apoftles of Chrift durft
never own, but did fully difclaim, 2
Cor. 1. 24. 5% Where he muft believe,
that Jefus Chrift came for this End to
fa ve loft Man, and by one Offering hath
perfecled for eyer them that are fanftifted,
Heb. 10. 1 8. And yet join with the
fame, a Faith of a human Satisfaction for
Sin, fo as Men may both merit, medi-
ate, and fupererogate, go above what is
needful for themfelves -, and fo be faved
in the fame Way of Life, which was by
E 2 ~ the

46 A Defcripion of the confirmed

the Covenant of Works 5 afcribing no more
tdChrift, than the giving Salvation to
Mens own-Merits $ which their own in-
trinfick Value and Condignity, doth re-
quire as a Debt. 6. He finds not how in
the fame Creed, he could poilibly hold
by one Mediator betwixt God and Man,
where a Plural :ty for this End is admit-
ted 5 'and by the Reality of Chrift's hu-
man Nature, and his having a true and
finite Body, which is fubjedted to have a
new created Being, each Time in the con-
fecrated Hoft -3 or believe the Truth of
his Sufferings, as now fully accomplinV
ed, and to be repeated no more, when it
is hi that daily Sacrifice of the Mafs ftill
offered, as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the
Living and the Dead. So, on the mod
fevere and impartial Enquiry, he cannot
find, how one holding thefe Principles
mould go a further Length than Morali-
ty v or claim another Handing than by a
Covenant of Works, 7. Nor knows he
how to believe at once the Truth of the
Gofpel, to be a Doftrine of Holinefs and
infinite Purity, and yet join in the fame
Faith, fuch an Indulgence for Men to fin,
that Money may ftand for Merit, and the
Rich may have the moll eafy and large

Entry

-State of a Chris tian.^ 47

Entry into Heaven. Conceit that it is a
Privilege for Men to deftroy themfelves 5
and by external Severities and Penance
to the Fleih, like to thelancing and gairi-
ing of Baal's Priefts, fupply the Room
of Chriftian Mortification. 8. Yea,- he
finds it not poffible to believe, that Sin
can only be expiated by the Blood of
Chrift. 3 and is his alone Work, who hath
purged our Sin himfelf, Heb. i. 3. Or,
that there are more than two Ways that
lead to a twofold State of Men 5 (a ftrait
Way, which leads to a Life, and a broad
unto Deftruction, Matth. vii. 14.) and y^t
believe, that there is a Purgatory after
after this Life, wherein Men muft.be tor-
mented and f uffer extream Pains, to ex-
piate fuch venial "Sins, as their Prayers
and Penances here could not do -,. yea, he
is made to wonder, how any who be-
lieves fuch a Thing, can ever have true
Peace or Comfort in the World y conclud-
ing, that Papifts do either take it as a Fi-
ction, or forget themfelves, when they
are chearful. For the Fear of fuch- a
Place, the Uncertainty of Releale,. and
how long a Term it may be ere this
purging Work be compleat, when their
mru Writers afiign no lets Time than
E 3 ttm

4-S *i Definition of the confirmed

ten thoufand Years, as needful to fatisfy
for fome Sins, and fear left it prove a
real Hell, muft ftill be a piercing Ter-
ror -j nor can he believe, that fuch mould
credit themfelves herein, who affume this
Power to change the Condition of the
Dead. Since were it reallj> believed,
that the Keys of fuch a Prifon were here
in Mens Hands, and Folk could, by the
largeft Bribes to the RomiJJ? Church, get a
fafe Deliverance thence; it were not
ftrange to fee the the temporal State of
Chriftendom, in a fhort Time made over
to thefe. We fhould judge they were, in
a ftrange Manner, indeed, privileged a-
bove the whole Refidue of Men, who by
fuch a Power over the World to come
could make fo eafy aPurchafe of this alfo
which is prefent. 9. He finds, and is
fure, he could never get his Reafon and
Confcience brought toiuch a Faith, even
tr^o5 he made a feigned Profeilion herein,
of that pretended Supremacy of Peter j as
Bifhop of Rome, on which the whole
Frame and Structure of the Papacy leans,
and the Virtue of all the Pardons and Ab-
folutions founded thereon ; on which fo
many have adventured into another

World*

State of a Christian. 49

World; except he would build on the
Sand only, and not on the Rock. 10. He
finds alfo how fuch an Ere£Hon of the Go-
fpel Church in her Militant State here, as
the Papacy in its complex Frameis, united
in fuch an Head, as the Pope, (who, as
the fole Vicegerent of Chrift in the Earth,
is at once invefted with a civil Monar-
chy, and univerfal Empire over the
Church, to impofe-and judge in the high-,
eft Tranfa&ions, which relate to the e-
ternal State and immortal Souls of Men,)
is a Thing, that as to Matter of Right,
is as foreign to the Scripture, and incon-
liftent therewith, as Mahumetanifm can
"be. And as to Matter of Fadt, is a Truft
that no created Being could ever exercife.
1 r. He fees, and is fure, that he muft
either lofe Sight, both of the Rule and
Spirit of the Gofpel, or have a juffc Ab-
horrence of that "Way, wherein he mould
he inevitably involve^ in a virtual Con-
fent, and Accefforineis to all that Cruel-
ty and Blood, which for To many Ages
hath been fhed therein 5 when 'tis fo clear
that this was no Exorbitance only of Pra-
ctice ; but a native Refult of their Tenets
and Principles, and not only difpenced
with, but counted an highly- me^orious

Service j

jo A Definition of the confirmed

Service; yea, when it is fare, that un-
der no fecular Government of the moft
-tyrannical State that ever was in the
"World, hath fuch arbitrary Violence and
Oppreflion been exercifed. Or fo much
innocent Blood been fixed, as by this
Party. 12. And thoV his Judgment flood
undetermined, and in an equal Balance
upon this great Controverfy, he could not
.exercife Reafon, and not fee upon what
Hand fuch a Decifion is, as was in Solo-
mon's Time of the true Mother of the
Child -y and who do molt- ruefully feelc to
inter eft themfelves in the imminent-Ha-
zard of the Chriftian Faith, and who. un-
der the leaft Influence of any temporal
Motives, do- this* Day ftand for the Truth
and Subftanceof Chriftianity, and plead
that it be not deffcroyed in Envy and Ha*
tred to them ^ or on what Side it is like-
ly, that this Manner of Conqueft is moft
followed' to gain Men to the Profeilion of
the Truth, by a prevailing Evidence of
their own Light and Judgment herein,
and to require their exadreft perfonal"
Trial and Enquiry about the fame.

In the third Place, tho* he fees there
can be no Pretence of doctrinal "Waver-
ing about the Reformed Religion, and

iinds

State of a Christian. $i

finds it not eafy to comprehend, how in
one and the fame Age, wherein the Truth
hath fo brightly mined, this Way of Po- ■
fery mould have Prevalence, or gain
Ground any more, by Seduction with Ar-
guments to the Reafon orConfcience of
any 5 yet, fince it is an Hour of Temp-
tation and of Fainting, above all that
have been hitherto known, and Mens
Eyes are arrefted with fuch a Piofped of
the Times, as is like to ftagger the Faith
of ther moft eftablimed ^ he is preffed,
(as counting it one of the higheft Duties
of this Day,) fo know and fearch out
what may afford greater!: AfTiftance to his
Faith, from the Difpenfations of Provi-
dence therein, and to IcnSwtne Evidence
and Strength of fuch Reflections, as thefe
are for this End. .

1. That 'tis fnre, as the fmalleft Things
which the-Lord does afford to ffrengthen
and fupport againft fuch a Storm, mould
be ferioufly improved and taken to Hearty
fo does it lay u§ in the Way of that Pro-
mife for having greater Things given to
our Obfervation t, yea, that now is the
Time, when fuch as have been moft
comforted by the Word of Promife, may
be put to the foreft Trial in their Faith of

any,

52 A Defer iptton of the confirmed

any, to keep off fiumbling at the Work
of Providence *, and be thus tried accord-
ing to the Meafure of thefe Confirmati-
ons.

2* Tho' the Churches Declinings, un-
der greateft Meafbres of Light, may be
tod vifible, and that Religion gains not
by Perfection as formerly,- with fuch an
amazing Change as is now in her external
Condition, yet he fees it to be no ftrange
Thing, when molt fignal Warnings have
gone before of fach a Trial, with too evi-
dent Difpofitions towards the fame, and
Difcovery of its Approach in all the Cau«
fes thereof^ yea, might be forefeen by all,
that the holy God would not frill- bear
with an inipure^nd -unenlivened Prof eflion
of the pure and, glorious Truth of Chri-
ffianity, which hath now long been one
of the moil fad and mortal Signs in the
public State of Religion; nor can it be
found, that ever any Church did decline
and fall from the Purity of the Truth,
and lofe Ground herein by external Per-
fecution, where a judicial Departure of
its Life and Power did not remarkably go
before 5 'fo as it is not of late, this hath
been clearly prefaged, that fome dark
and unufual Meafure of Trial from Anti-

chrifr.

State of a Christian. 53

chrift, and the laft Havoclt of the" Re-
formed Churches was drawing near,
which would be fore ere it had done its
Work.

3. He lees alfo, how this prefent Hour
is not more fearching and dark, than it
may he clear herewith. 1. That now,
-after the Iffue of that Oppofition, which
was betwixt the Chriftian Faith in the firft
Entry of the Gof pel, and that dying apo-
ftate Church of the Jews ^ and -nest,
v/ith the Pagan Empire, after that new
Erection of the- Gof pel Church among
the Gentiles, which is now'over -, fo is
the greater!: Trial of the latter Days fixed
on the Decifion of that long depending
Controverfy betwixt Chrift . and Ariti-
ehrift. 2. That, according to the Scrip-
ture, we muft believe, that as after the
■ Manner of Egypt r that glorious Triumph
and Delivery of the Church from Anti-
-chrift will be furely carried on \ 10 the
more near it comes to the laft AfTault ^
(and when this falls in to have its proper
Room in the Frame arid - Adminiftration
of Providence $ ) the greater Extremity,
Terror, and Darknefs may be expected
alfo, fuch as hath .not been in any former
Time, Yea, with that united and foi>

midable

54^ *A' DefcrifitiQn of the confirmed

midable Conjundtion of Strength and
growing Succefs of this Adyerfarv for a
Time, that the moft eftabhmed Chrifti*
ans may be in Hazard to ftagger 3. That,
now is rhe I .V , wherein -the Lord will
have Men know, what it is to have the
Bible, as the alone Security of the Prote-
ctant Religion, on which they muft eii»
tirely reft, no lefs than as it is the fole
Rule and Standard thereof ^ which is; a
Trial worthy of all that Expence, of the
Pain, Anguifh, and Wreftlings, that can
now pofhbly attend the , fame. .

4. Whilft the great Standard of Anti-
thrift's Kingdom is vifibly fet up and
brought to the open Field, as 'tis this Day
in the Church of France , and all human
Help taken out of Sight-, yet does he fee
herewith. 1. How this now is conclud-
ed, as the moft infallible Remedy to re-
cover Popery. And that Argument, to
which they truft more than to Peter's.
Keys, to wit, thefe fanguinary Laws by
the Sword and Rack-, which the}' have a-
gain betaken themfelves to, tho' fan an
Argument the Scripture never knew, and •
fober Heathens would abhor, and which
gives up the Credit of all Religion to A-
theifm. 2, That there can be no more

Evidence

State of a Christian. 55

Evidence of a defperate and finking Caufe
than is here, and nothing elfe can fupport
it, but thefe Weapons which are not a-
gainft the Confcience -, or r-by any Terror
of the lecond Death, hut of the firft.
3. That this is fuch an Argument, if they
have not in a ftrange Manner forgot,
which Tiath within thefe hundred Years
been fo fully anfwered, and by fuch an
immediate Appearance of God in the King-
dom of France , that, according to thefe
Meafures of Cruelty againft theProteftants
there, fo was it returned in a Deluge of
their own Blood, yea, fo both the public
State, of the Church, and Faith of the
Saints, in the Truth was more deeply
rooted 5 and tho5 we yet fee not the End
of thefe Wonders, but the Dark- fide on-
ly of the Difpenfations of fuch a Day,
yet do we know this~ fore Rod on the
Church, is but as the Saw and Ax m the
Carpenter's Hand, who fhall never undo
that glorious Work which Chrift hath
done, and is ftill further perfecting on the
Ruins of Amichrif t's Kingdom,

?. Tho' fome unufual Deeps and Me-
thods of Subtilty be now' on Footalfo a-
gainft the Truth -3 yet he cannot but fee,
F how

-

$6 A ' Definition of ■ the confirmed

how nothing could more effe&ually tend
to confirm the Proteiknt Caufe, and take'
the Credit of Popery off the Conferences
of thofe in their own Profeffion, who are
confederate and in the leaft ferious here-;
in 5 when the World muft thus fee. i.
How eafy it is for fuch to take any Mea-
fore and Latitude in the Dodtrinals of
their Profeffion, when this can moil ferve
the Jundure of fuch -a- Time, and heigh-
ten or narrow the Controverfy betwixt
them, and the Reformed Church at their
Pieafure • fo as to facrifice the Church of
Koine unto the Court of Rome, if
no lefs can fecure that End. 2. That
the moft horrid Turkifl) Slavery over
Mens Bodies comes no fuch Length,
as that ftrange Claim that thefe now make
of an abfolute Empire over Mens Confci-
encesrby the Sword \ and to put them to
fuch a Tribute of their Obedience, that
they -fliall then be fecure, if they but
come the Length to fin againft their
Light, and adventure on fo fmalla Thing
as to go to Hell, and perifh eternally *,
fince 'tis an external and feigned Profef-
fion of fuch a Way that they do thus
force from thofe, who they fee cannot in
Faith be perfuaded hereof, 3, Yea, it

hath

State of j Christian. fj

hath been too vifible, how much that Ma-
tter-plot and Engine, hath inthefe Times
heen working, to take Men fir ft off from
all Senfe of Religion, and deftroy them
in the Morals of Chriftianity, to make
thisConqueft more eafy, thatfuch may
have no inward Defence- and Support a-
gainft the Terror of human Violence.
Yea, in thisJVVay, when they have- fought
how to divide Proteftants among them-
felves, and betwixt Rulers- and them,
this feems the laft and greateft Engine of
all, how to divide betwixt them and their
God, acting the fame Plot, which was
laid -betwixt Balak and Balaam, as know-
ing that 'tis no naked Shew or Profeffion i
of the Reformed Religion they need fear,
fo much as that old Proteftant Spirit in
the Power and Life thereof, before whicfv
their Intereflf could never ftand $ and
dread nothing fo much as the reviving -
hereof! which, as the Hand-writing upon
the Wall, did ever more threaten the fa-
tal Ruin of that Kingdom, than any hu-
man Power or Strength.

6. Here alfo he finds jaft Caufe of A-

ftonifhment, how Kings, or great Men,

in the Earth, Ihould give their Power to

P 3 fun-

58 <si Defer iption of the confirmed

fupport the Romijh Intereft, which , hath
been fo vifibly deftruciive to theirs:
When 'tis not poflible to deny how itsfirft
Advance and Progrefs to that fupi earn
Height, which it once attained •, and the
declining of the civil Empire, did by the
fame Steps go together $ until Magiftra*
ey was turned unto a dead Image*and Sha-
dow, except its being enlivened by their
Breath and Authority, as it was during
the whole Height of that Antichriftian
Power. Nor will it be denied, that, in
thefe late Times, the French Monarchy
was never more near its Diflolution in its
right Line than by the Catholick League
there *5 and it would feem not eafy to be
forgot, how Henry the Third, who had
molt fought to crulh the Proteftants in
purfuance of that League, was at laft cpn-
ftrained to flee to fuch for Help $ or by
whom he was killed $ and that heroick
Prince Henry tlie Fourth, who was firft
ftabbed in the Mouth and then in the
Heart ^ yea, that the public Records of
that Nation cannot polfibly deny, but the
Houfe of Bourbon, owes its Power and
Prefervation, more to the Proteftants,
(without whom it had been fully extincl:,)

than .

than Ahaflmeriis did to Mordecal the
y^w, for what he found written in the
Chronicles of Perfect^ when the Decree
was then paft to deftroy all the Seed of

7. As in no Times pail was ever a
.greater Expectation than is now, which
Way the Scale will turn, and what will
he the End of thefe Wonders, when the
neareft Events of Providence are fo dark
and amazing ^ fo does he find this, in
fbme extraordinary Way called for, to he
Bull, and fee what God will do for his
Church, and with humble Confidence*
look for fome fuch Difpenfation, as hath
not hitherto been in this extream Exi-
gence. And t ho' lie do not appear ixi
that Way and ""Manner as ill former
Times, that it fhall be in a Way .more*
fignaHy glorious, beyond what hath for-
merly been.3 yea, he does in Faith thus
judge, that then is the Church's Day
broke, and hath found the fare Way oft -
her Strength, and right Line of Duty-
when her Hope and Confidence is. taken
off from all vifible Refuges, and entirely
fettled on her invifible Head, andhis Pro-
m'ife put to fuit by Prayer without faints
F 3 ' in£

So A Defer iftion ~ of the confirmed

ing herein. It is fure, the Truth and
Faithfulnefs of God, (lands engaged for
AntichriiYs Fall, as well as for Salvation
by Chrift, ar/d Since he hath faid, this
Adverfary (hall be broke and brought
down, it muft- furely be, tho'the Duft of
the Ground mould rife for this End, and
now is the Faith oi the Saints called for
jbecoming the Greatnefs of fuch an Affur-
tance, on which are the Eyes of Men, of
their own Gonfciences, of the eledt An-
gels, yea, of the glorious God, to fee
who does indeed credit him in this Day,
when there is no fenfible Support herein ^
and tho5 it now threatens forely the De-
parture of many from the Faith, who
fi^d fbme vifible ProfefTion thereof, yet
may it be hoped for, that the Turn of the
next Tide (Hall bring in more, with a f o-
lid and true Increafe to the Church, than
thefe fad Days do now take off.

Character VI.

It is thus a confirmed Chriftiah. mould
te fpecially confidered, as one, who is
not only at Reft on the known Certainty
of his Faith, but is ready to render fome

Account

State of a Christian. 61

Account of the folid rational Grounds
and Demonftrations hereof, unto all who
afk after the fame, and doth thus judge,

i. That thefe are the proper and ap-
pointed Means, which the Lord hath af-
forded for the greater!: Confirmation of
Mens Faith within Time «, yea, prefer-
able to any external Miracles, which are
more extraordinary and remote Aiiirrari-
ces thereto. 2. That thefe are given as
fuch a great Help t.o his Joy, arid Excite-
ment of his Affedionsto follow the Lord
fully, as may make him wonder how the
Greatnefs of thefe Things, (which Mea
are called to believe.) can come near
their Thoughts, and yet no more take
them up about this confirming Work.
3. That the too vifible Neglect hereof,
both with refpect to the Youth, and Com-
munity of Profeflors in the Church,
feems one of the fad and fundamental
Defects of this Day. The Reafbns here-
of, with fome clear View of thefe
Means, which -might moil anfwer fuch
an End, are briefly offered in this" pre-
ceding Work

Character

$2 A T>efcr i^tion of the confirmed

Character VII.

A truly confirmed Chriftian, may in
the laft Place "be herein alfo confldered,
as fuch, whole Faith being oft tried thro'
all thefe Stages of Chriftianity he hath
been taken $ hath fome proper Record of
the moil choice and fignai Confirmations
of his Life, to improve the fame, not
only for his own Support in that laft
Warfare of Death, but for ftrengthning
the Faith of others $ wherein he does
thus judge,

i. That there could be no true Support
or Relief from Religion here in the
Earth, if it cannot bear out then. And
that Death is the great Touchftone and
Trial, when the true Value and Differ-
ence betwixt Things of an eternal Truth
and Subfhnce, and the Things of this
"World will be b'eft feen. 2. He reckons
each real Chriftian^ by his Profeffion
then engaged and accountable, even by
fbme erplicite perfonal Teftimony, to
put to his Seal that God is true, and bear
the fameWitnefs, with his laft and dying
Breath to the Truth of Chriftianity,

which

State of a Christian.' 63
which he gave in the' whole Courfe of his
Lifeh and of that Joy, Complacence
and Affuranee of Mind, which he hath
found, and now hath in the Way of
Truth : So as to prefs the fame on his
dearer! Relations, a£ their alone true In-
tereft. 3. He fees alfo, how honourable
it is for the Lord, that fuch, whofe Faith
hath been oft tried, (and when thus with
Joy and Admiration, he can look back
on the moft preflihg and confpicuous Con«^
Aids of Time J mould have it their laft
Work to pay in fome Tribute of Praife
unto him, whofe Word and Promife unto
them, did yet never fail. 4. He accounts
the more weighty Trials he hath been
carried thro5 in his Chriftian Warfare, do
both add more to this Service, and im-
part more to the Value of fuch a Tefti-
mony, 5. He judgeth this one fpecial
Way and Advantage, whereby one Ge-
neration might declare the Truth and
Faithful.nefs of God unto another, in a
Family-Line and Relation, to fhew forth
thus, that the Lord is upright $ that he
is their Rock, and with him is no Un-
righteoufnefs. Yea, which mould be
Matter of unfpeakable Joy, when now

in

j$4 - A Defcrifition of the confirmed

in his Turn, he can fay, that fuch hath
the Lord been to him ; what were Da-
yid's dying Words, i Kings i. 14. Who
hath delivered my Soul out of all Diftrefs,
how that in no Trouble, or Exigence of
his Life, he was ever left without a Door
of Hope, and jhus alfo with Caleb ^ Joflma
xiv. 10. To give infome fuch .'Wit nefs for
God, Cc I am now near the Clofeof Time,
" and do teftify, that the Word of his
" Truth and Promife, he hafh finely
cc accomplished \ which hath brought me
" fafe and honourably through, when fuch
ct as did difiruft the fame by Misbelief^
" and fought after another Refuge, found
" all their Confidences fail" 6 .And
knowing lite wife bow great a Surprizal
Death may "be-, and that Inch as have
Ihined in their Day, niay yet fet tinder a
Cloud, and go filerrt off the Stage ^ he
judgeth it the more needful to have fuch
a Piece of -his dying Work prepared, as
one of the choiceft Legacies he can be-
queath to his furviving Friends, in a Sea*
ion, when it hath ufually the greateft
Advantage of Weight and Acceptance 5
it being ftill qualified with Chriftian
Prudence and humble Sobriety ^ Lfo as all

may

State of a Christian 6$

may fee Its whole Intent is to commend
to Mens Confcienee ^the Way of Truth
and Godlinefs, and not thenifelves, and
thus direct it for the proper Ufe and Im-
provement of their nearer! Relations.
I know it may be -ft range to feme, what
is fpoke upon this Head \ but as 'tis fure
the prefent Day hath its Duty, and each
Time of our Life hath foiiie proper
Work, fo I humbly judge, that this
feems. to fall in, as the laft Service of a
dying Chriftian to his Generation, to de-
liver off his Hand the Truth which he
had received and bath oft proved, with his
^confirmatory Seal and Teftimony there-
to. And now is it in fome more than or-
dinary Way called for in this Hour of
great Darknefi, when, if the Security of
the abfolute Promifes ftood not good to
!the Church, v/e might fear Religion
might quickly wear out, and Truth pe-
rifh from the Earth i and as fo'foleinn
and weighty a Thing fhouldit be mana-
ged with much humble Prudence, fo that
it may be judged, that there is no ferious
and obferving Chriftian,, but hath fbme
peculiar Engagements, under which they
tfind themfelves held even beyond others,

yea,

^

$6 A Defcripiion of the confirmed

yea, fome fuch fingular Confirmations
in the Journal of their Life, that fhould
not be eafy to hide under the Ground $
where the ftrengthening of others here-
by is concerned *, and that fuch fhould
not then leave the Crofs of Jefus Chrift
at a Lofs, or part therewith without
their Teftimony, which hath left them
at fo great an Advantage. And'tho' this
is not to offer particular Rules in fuch
a Duty, but that Chriftian Wifdom muft
direct herein, as the prefent Cafe is
circumftantiated, yet might it be hoped,
were this more taken to Heart, it fhould
be a fingular Means to make more deep
Impreihons of Mens dying Work on
their Spirits. Even whilft they are in
Health, to excite their furviving
Friends, and to keep Religion thus a-
live in a Family State and Relation,
and gain a more venerable Refpect to
the fame on Mens Confciences •, yea,
to .fix alfo ftronger Engagements on
the fucceeding Offspring.

Thus is prefented here, a fhort Idea
of the- folid and judicious Work of
Chriftian Confirmation in the Truth,
under thefe foregoing Ghara&ers, to

fhew

!

State of a Christian. 67

fliew, how rare an Attainment of Reli-
gion this is, yea, to prefent herein a
fpecial Series and Scale of the greateft
Steps in this confirmatory. .Work, by
which it mould be followed. And none
of tKefe may be parted from other,
tho' fome be of an higher and more
abfolute life for fuch an End. And
if it mould be obje&ed here, "What
needs any fuch Expence of Time, or
Pains in this Cafe, when 'tis fure^he
effential Truths of the Gofpel are not
questioned, and that without internal
Evidence of the Spirit, no external
Means of this Kind can be of Ufe, I
know that 'tis the alone Work of the
Holy Ghoft, to . beget a divine and^fu-
pernatural Faith 5- without which the
further! Light and objective Evidence,
tho' backed with a continued Difpen--
fa'tion of external Miracles, could ne-
ver bear Chrifiians out, either as* to
1 Duty or Comfort, in their PafTage
thorow Time 5 yea, nothing is in the
leaft here to fiibjec~t the Credit of our
Faith to Mens rational Comprehensi-
on, "but rather tends, to enervate whol-
ly the Strength of any fuch Tenet,
G and

68 J Defcription of the confirmed

and take off all Pretence for the fame :
But 'tis fure alfo, I muft quit all fo-
lic! Security in the Way of Religion,
and any clear Founding in the Light
and Certainty of the Scripture, or ad-
mit thefe Things as undeniable.

i. That fupernatural Faith is the
rnoft highly rational Light that's with-
in Time. And that none, who profefs
the Name of Chrift, can be of fo low
a Size, as fhould not be prefled and
excited to be much about this Ground-
work of knowing the Truth and Prin-
ciples of their Profeffion upon its own
Evidence ^ yea, are thus called, as \new
bom Babes to drink in the fmcere Milk
of the Word, i Pet, ii. Which, as 'tis
clearly in the Original, as the rational
Milk of th-e fVord, to.be thus received,
no lefs on Convi&ion and Certainty
of the Judgment, than with the but*
going of their Affections.

2. That as 'tis not concejveable, how*
a true and firm Aflent can be to di*
vine Truth, but on its known Cer-
tainty, fo here is no refolving of the
Chriftian's Faith on the ftrongeft ra-
tional Evidences hereof, which muffi

fiill

State of a Christian. 69

ftjll be refolved on the Teftirriony of
God, made clear and evident to them
to be luch.

3. It is fure alfo, the Lord hath not
given fo large a Meafure of thefe
Grounds and Demonftrations of his
Truth 3 with fuch redoubled Arguments
of that Kind, to be of fo fmall Re-
gard as is with moft. But for fome
great and univerfal Ufe hereof to the
whole Church, and knew how needful
fuch Affiftances to the Faith of his
People would be whilft they are 021
the Earth.*

4. That thefe Means, which tend
moft convincingly to found a rational
Affurance in the Judgment, are the

*. proper Vehicle of the Spirit of. God,
hy which hk fealing Work fhould be
both fought and expe&edj nor can I
judge how the Creak and Ufe hereof
fhould be fo fmall. and not on the fame
Ground quit any external Ordinance
of the Golpel 5 which without the Spi-
rit of the Lord can never profit, nor
how we fhould expect and fuit ' his
confirming Work on the Soul, when
thefe greateft confirming Means, which
G 2 he

70 A Defer ipion of the confirmed

he hath given to the Church, have no
juft Weight : But, oh ! how wonderful a
Teacher is the Bob? Ghoft, when .fuch
ordinary Means fail, "and are inaceeiii-
ble? by funii (hi ng his People ^hen
with thefe ftrongeft Arguments of
Love and Power, who having had but
final 1 Me«fures of Light, jQt were not
Unfaithful to improve the fmalleft De-
gree of fuch a Talent ?

5. Yea^ fo' great a Thing is it, to at-
tain a folid Faith of Things wholly
remote from our Senfe, and fo far a-
bo\re the Reach and Apprehenfion of
Nature, or to have an abfblute Reli-
ance on an invifible Refuge for our
prefent and eternal State, as no com-
mon Affent can anfwer, when the very
Reft and quiet of the Soul, muft needs'
lie in the fur-e and firm Perfwafion
hereof

6, It is too vifible alfo, how little the
practical Ufe of fuch a Mean hath yet
Been e flayed in the Church, that all
who are Members thereof, might no
lefs know the Strength and Finnnefs of
the Foundations of their Faith, by its
own Evidence,- than the general Articles

of

State of a Christian, 71
of Religion. The moft ufual infiruct-
ing Work lies almoft wholly about'the
noetic Part of Divinity, there feems not
that ferious Regard to prefs the diano-
etic Part hereof on Mens Confcience,
as if this were to be reftrained to
a few, who are more knowing, learn-
ed, and of an inquifitive Spirit about
the rational Certainty of the Truth,
and for whom thefe choice and abun-
dant Helps of this Kind, which are in
this Age, feem more peculiarly direct-
ed. 3Tis fure, that the Chriffian Faith
in the firft Times did remarkably then
fpread and prevail, by thefe efear Evi-
dences hereof to the Judgment, made
effectual by the Spirit of God, more
than „ by extraordinary Miracles., Nor
knew they otherwife what it was to
be Chriftians, but by embracing the
Truth, with a full AfTurance of Un-
derftanding, no left than of Delight and
Affe&ion. But if it be /objected., it is
not the Cafe now, where Religion is
planted in a Nation, and hath an un-
controulable public Profeilion under the
Support of human Laws ^ I know no
admitted Weight this can have, except
G 3 that

72 A Defcription of the ' confirmed

that it mould be granted, that Chrifti-
ans now be born, and not new creat-
■ ed.

y. Yea, is it not fure, tho' it feem
little underfbod, that the primary
Grounds and Evidences of our Faith,
are not only as to their End, demon-
strative of the Truth and Divinity of
the Scripture, but are upon the Mat-
ter, fuch Demonftrations alfo, which
moft natively refult from the fame
by infallibly ' Confequence 5 and are
. iTius to be accounted, not as humane
but divine Arguments, given us by the
Spirit of God.

8. I mall but further add, how fuch
as do ferioufly ponder Things, will
find this Demonftration to be no more
important than clear, that to be aeon-
firmed Chriftian, and a confTmed Prote-
ftant are convertible Terms -, and that
if they that are under that deplorable
Bondage and Darlcnefs of Popery, were
tut once awakened, to fee the Truth
and Certainty of the Chriftian Faith,
by its intrinfick and objective Evi-
dence, and taken oft that brutifli Cre-
dulity and Dependence on the . alone

Credit

State of a Christian. 75

Credit of ofbers herein, it might be faid
the ftronge.ft Engine to hold up that Pro-
feifion were then broke, and .we mould
fee the Do&rine and Rule of Faith, to
be of fiich full and perfpicuous Evi*
dence from the Scripture, as without
Blafphemy, they could not feek from
the Lord to give them a plainer Rule,
than what he hath there given.

FINIS.

CHANGES

AND

TROUBLES

PEace, way ward Soul ! let not tbqfe various
Storms,
Which hourly fill the World with frefh Alarms,
Invade thy Peace ; nor difcompofe that Reft,
Which thou may^ft keep tmtoucPd within thy- Breaft,
Amidftthofe Whirlwinds, if thou keep but free
The Interc-ourfe betwixt thy God and thee ;
Thy Region lies above thefe Storms ; and know,
Thy Thoughts are earthly, and they creep too low,
If thefe can reach thee, or Accefs can find,
To bring or raife like Tempefts in thy Mind.
But yet in thefe Dif orders fome thing lies,
Thafs 'worths thy Notice, out of which the wife
May trace and find that jaft and powerful Hand^
That fecretly but furely ydoth command,
And manage thefe Difle?npers with that Skill,

Thai

E 3 .

That while they feem to crofs, they a£l his Will.
Obfsrve that filver Thread, that (leers and bends
The worfl of all Diforders, to fuch Ends,
That /peak his Juftice, Goodnefs, Providence,
Who clofely guides it by his Influence.
And though thefe Storms are loud, yet lijien well,
There is another Mejfage that they tell :
This World is not thy Country ; "'tis thy way ;
Too ?nuch Contentment would invite thy ft ay
Too long upon thy Journey $ make it firange,
Unwelcome Nevus, to think upon a Change :
Whereas thefe rugged Entertainments fend
Thy Thoughts before thee to thy Journey's End ;
Guide thy Defires all homewards ', tell thee plain.
To think of refling here is but in vain j
Make thee to fet an equal Eft innate
On- this uncertain World, and a juji Rate
On that to come ; they bid thee wait and flay
Until thy Mafter\s Call, and then with Joy K
To entertain it. Such a Change as this,
Renders thy Lofs3 thy Gain '3 improves thy Blifs.

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